a charleston food blog

When Widespread hippies focus their energy on BBQ–Home Team BBQ

It’s strange how a restaurant’s space affects the diner. Fancy food seems to taste better in an elegant setting and likewise, rustic food is better enjoyed in a rustic space. This is why West Ashley’s new BBQ establishment Home Team is throwing me a little bit. In fact, I want to call this place an instant classic, but wait.

In the newly renovated Bunch’s Garage (next to Bait and Tackle), this new BBQ dig is the antithesis of all classic BBQ temples (Sweatman’s, Big T’s, Lexington BBQ…to name a few). Inside it’s so clean that it’s almost antiseptic and there is a wrap sandwich on the menu to boot (wraps are the worst food trend since sun dried tomatoes and asian-fusion and I hate them). Sounds like sacrelige to all purists, and this to me is where it gets tricky. I’m not sure if I’m just aggrandizing a good BBQ restaurant, but it seems like the pit master here is both tipping his hat to grand old tradition (BBQ is arguably our only native cuisine) with incredible, sublime BBQ while irreverently goofing off (and arguably showing off) in it’s face. Apart from the wrap, and another example of its irreverence for that matter, Home Team serves a mayonnaise based BBQ sauce that is remarkably good. Stripped to its bare bones, with all of the temporal elements of ambiance and feel aside, I think that Home Team has some of the best BBQ anywhere. Just without the classic BBQ shack feel.

The meat at Home Team is pit roasted with a dry rub and served with no sticky, tricky, or even worse, sticky-icky sauce. What results from the rub and slow cooking is truly sublime, with rich smoke and pork flavor, very subtle sweetness, and nothing overpowering. And it absolutely does not need sauce. To call it tender would be an understatement. It’s downright soft, so tender that it’s almost strange. The pulled pork, ribs, and even the chicken all taste the same both in flavor and texture; delicious. In fact, I’ve never had BBQ chicken that could compete with pork and this one certainly does. The sides are great as well; I like the collards, squash casserole, and creamed corn. But who cares about the sides, it’s all about the BBQ. Anyhow, enough fawning, time will tell where Home Team lands in the great BBQ realm of the Carolinas, though with lines already out the door, I am comfortable calling it an instant classic.

Assuming that you are not a loyal rottenoysters reader being very funny, you should watch your mouth, LaQuisha. Also, did you miss the fact that I was praising Home Team? You must have some incredible pot, dude! Anyhow, the title is a joke, hippie.

SIncerely,

Mr. Tito

P.S. I don’t understand why everyone is a grammar “expert” all of the sudden. This piece is written in an informal way like most of the blogs in the world. You shouldn’t be concerned with my use of grammar unless you are a 5th grade teacher or you are just looking for a roundabout way to put another writer down. (If you want to see some great beef on grammar and syntax, see the comments following our Mercato review)

You liberals drive me crazy. You and cindy sheehan should go back in time and hang out with jane fonda and the NVA. Also, ted kennedy once drove off a bridge. I wonder what mayonnaise-based bbq sauce tastes like.

In reference to “Peace, Love, and BBQ” by Mike Mills, white BBQ sauce (mayonnaise based) is very commonly used in Decatur, Alabama at Big Bob Gibson’s. and amazingly they are famous for using it on their BBQ chicken and turkeys. So while these boys have done their homework they haven’t made some radical departure from what is considered BBQ sauce.

I just wanted to say a sincere thanks for the great write-up. I also wanted to clarify a couple of things. First, LaQuisha isn’t affliated with us so I’m not sure what all of that is about. Second, we do have a white BBQ sauce, but our main sauce is a vinegar based red sauce. Come on in and try all of it when you can. Again, thanks for the kind words.